Ballonnet-inflater.



J. R. GAMMETER.

BALLONNET INFLATER. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 16. lgx'u.

Patented'Dc. 3, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1."

- INVIYINTCR. cbfinfi. Gammekr ATTORNEY JQHN B. ,QF J'aKPLOIl, {ii-I16,ASSIGNGT? TO THE B. 1?. G-UGDJRICH CGEEPAN'EZ',

OF KEV! YQRK, N. A CURPURATZOH 033 NEW YORK. I

igasasve.

To all whom 2'27 concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN R. GAMMn'rnn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Uhio, haveinvented a certain new and useful Ballonnct-lniiater, which the following a specification This invention relates to nieas for infiating theair ballonnets of balloons of the captive observation type. its generalobjeotis to provide improved means for retaining substantially the fullcontourot the main gas'bag in the face of shrinkage or diminution oi thegas volume from any cause. The main envelop is filled with hydrogen orilluminating gas or with hot air, and the ballonnet is commonly inflatedby wind pressure if there is any. Usually there has been an openconnection between the wind scoop and the ballonnet, and should there belittle or no wind, the ballonnet fails to make up, by its inflation, theloss or shrinkage of buoyant gas, so that the envelop becomes flabby. Myinvention provides for sun matic filling of, the air ballonnet and forretention of any air which enters it. The retention may be accomplishedby means of a check valve or valves, but in providing an automaticwind-operated Valve for that purpose a considerable problem is involvedin Working it by the small differences of air pressure available. Thisproblem I have solved by a mode of'guiding and pressurebalancing theWind-operated valve so that it may afford a large port-opening with arelatively-small movement and will function under slight differences ofpressure. In con nection with the invention, means may be provided toenable the ballonnet to be charged mechanically when the'wind velocityis insufiicient.

Of the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a balloon of the observation or captivetype, PI'OXlClQd with wind valve filling apparatus constructed accordingto my invention. Fig 2 is a sectional perspective view of the automaticwind-valve and associated parts.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of an electric fan blower which may be used.

Fig. 4 is a sectional perspective view of the fanepipe check-valve.

In the drawings, 10 is the main envelop or gas-bag of the balloon,having suitable Patented 3, tells.

Serial Ho. illiZBei l.

rear vertical and horizontal uidevanes or fins ll, 12, cord harness 13,mooring or traction cables 14, 15, and observation basket 16 suspendedby ropesll. l8 is a flexible diaphragm which, together." with a part ofthe lower wall of the main envelop, forms an internal ballonnet orcompensating chamber 19 into which atmospheric air isforced to make upfor the loss or shrinkage of the buoyant gas in the main envelop.

Under the ballonnet 19 there is a windscoop or concentrator 20 havingits mouth directed forwardly for the purpose of keeping the ballonnetfilled by wind pressure when the wind has suflicient velocity. ll carthe rear end of this scoop there is an opening therefrom into theballonnet chamber through the wall'of the main envelop, and said openingI control by means of the automatic wind-operated check-valve device 21,shown in detail in Fig. 2. a

22 is a metallic frame having an annular, horizontal or transverse flatvalve-seat 23 on its upper side'surrouiuling the large airport 23, acentral hub .Zisupportedby radial arms 25, a horizontal attachingsflange26, and an axially-extending slightly-conical portion 2'! connectingsaid flange with the valve seat; The frame 22 is detachably connectedwith an interior metal ring 28 by means of wing-nut bolts 29 which passthrough a fabric and rubber ring 30, the latter being secured to themain envelop l0 and provided with an annular soft-rubberpacking lip 31which telescopes with the frame portion 27 and'is held in fluid-tightrelation therewith by the internal air-pressure. This valve-framepacking expedient is claimed in an applicationfiled by me February 8,1918, Serial No. 215,965.

3:2 is the valve proper, of the floating disk type, comprising ashallow, inverted, flatbottonied, cup-shaped thin-metal valve body 33and a sot't-ru )ber, annular seating member or packing 34.- having athin-edged, lateral, flexible lip co-acting with the valveseat is afiathottomed, inverted cupshaped metal member supported at intervalsfrom the valve frame 22 by means of ver tical struts 36, and .37 is aflexible annular web of inverted iii-section having its short limbattached to the rim of thcmember 35 and its long limb attached to therim of the valve 32, for closing the space between said member and.valve. This web is composed ill) of light cloth which is renderedimpervious to air and moisture by suitable treatment.

--a point external to the scoop by a tube 39 having its outer orifice ina plane parallel to the surface of the envelop 1 0.

v To guide the valve 32 and keep it ecu-- tralized above its seat Iprovide a series of radial straps 40 of clothor other flexible material,connectedat their outer ends to the rim of the valve and at their innerends secured to the. central hub 24 by a bolt 41. These straps and theweb 37 permit a practically frictionless rising and falling and tippingor floating movement of the valve.

In operation, the valve32 normally closes by its own weight and isbalanced on its upper side by the pressure of the atmosphere admitted tothe chamber 38 through tube 39; When the balloon faces a wind ofsufiicient velocity to create enough pressure in the scoop 20 toovercome the weight of the valve, plus the unconcentrated, and possiblyslightly negative atmospheric pressure transmitted to the balancingchamber throughthe tube 39,- the valve 32 is lifted off its seat and airenters and inflates the "ballonnet 19-until the internal and externalpressures reach a condition of equilibrium,

when thevalvu closes. Owing to the described mode of balancing andguiding the valve, it will move in response to very slight pressuredifferences, and relatively large diameter produces an aniple areaofport opening to pass a substantial volume of air.

At times when there is little or no' wind it is desirable to inflate theballonnet mechanically, and for that purpose I show a rotary fan-blower42 actuated by an electric motor 43 to which current is suppliedthrougha cable 44 from a generator45 on the ground, the casing of thefan-blower being conveniently suspended by a hook 46 from the edge ofthe balloon basket 16. 47

is a controlling switch. The delivery-pipe 48 of the blower leads intothe ballonnet chamber 19 past a check or non-return valve 49.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of myinvention, and I' may employ the hereindescribed valve guiding andbalancing expedients in any situation where they may be found usefuh Iclaim: 1

1. The combination, with a balloon-having a gas receptacle and an airballonnet, of means for filling said ballonnet by concentrated windpressure, an automatic windoperated valve controlling the admission ofthe air, and a counterbalancing chamber having a movable wall and aninlet for opposing to the concentrated'wind pressure, which acts to openthe valve, the unconcentrated atmospheric pressure tending to close saidvalve.

2. The combination, with an air ballonnet, of a wind-scoop for fillingthe same, a disk type wind-operated valve controlling communicationbetween the two, a pressure-baL ancing chamber on the posterior side ofsaid valve, and an air passage connecting said chamber with theatmosphere at a point external to said scoop. I

3. The combination, with an air ballonnet,

of a wind-scoop for filling the same, a disktype wind-actuated valvecontrolling the air admission, a pressure-balancing chamber within theballonnet comprising a fixed end member, a movable end member formed bya part on the valve, a flexible web connection between said members, anda conduit connecting said chamber with the atmosphere at point externalto "the wind scoop.

4. In combination, a fluid pert, an automatic valve controlling saidport and adapted to be opened by the anterior pressure of the fluid tobe admitted therethrough, and a pressure-balancing chamber on theposterior side of the valve, said chamber comprising a fixed end member,a movable end member formed by a part on thevalve, and a flexible webclosing the space between said fixed and movable members.

5; In combination, a fluid port, an automatic valve controlling saidport and adapted to be opened by the anterior pressure of the fluidadmitted therethrough, and a pressure-balancing chamber on the posteriorside of said valve comprising a movable member formed by a part on thevalve, a cup-shaped fixed member, and a flexible annular web of 1 spacefor the passage of the fluid admitted past the valve, and a flexibleannular web connecting said fixed and movable end members.

7. The combination, with an air ballonnet,

, of a wind scoop for filling the same, an automatic wind-operatedfloating valve controlling the air admission, and flexible means forguiding and centralizing said valve during the movements thereof.

8. In combination, a valve-seat, a disk type automatic valve co-actingtherewith, a balancing chamber on the posterior side of .the valve whosewall includes a flexible chamber-closing Web, and'valve' guiding andcentralizing means adapted to permit a uniflexibly connecting saidsupport With the.

valve.

10. In combination, a frame formed w th a fluid port, a valve-seatsurrounding said I port, and a central hub connected with said'valve--eeat, a disk type floating valve coacting with saidseat, and aseries of valveguiding and centi alizing flexible straps radiating fromsaidhub to the valve;

11. In combination, a fluid port, an auto- ;matic disk-type floatingvalve controlling said port and adapted tobe opened by the anteriorpressure of the fluid admitted therethrough, a. pressure-balancingchamber on the posterior side of the valve comprising a fixed part, amovable part on .the valve, and aYfleXible connecting Web, and a. seriesof radial guiding and centralizing members flexibly connected with saidvalve.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 12 day ofFebruary, 1918.

' JOHN R. GAMMETER.

